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shanaepraystoo's reviews
874 reviews
Courage to Love Again by Kimberly Brown
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Wow wow wow!! Kimberly Brown did it again with Courage to Love Again. She's written a beautiful love story about overcoming loss, grief, divorce, depression, and generational curses.
We meet Pasha, an unhappily married stay-at-home-wife struggling to overcome mental health trials after experiencing multiple losses, on the same day that her husband, Raymond, decides to request a divorce, put her out of their home, and move on with his new pregnant mistress. Brown pulls you in right away with the drama and gives you all the feels. Forced out of her home, Pasha uses a ride-sharing app to call for a car. The driver, who just so happens to be the wealthy owner Callum, becomes her 'Knight In Shining Armor,' saving her from the mean words of her husband and further embarrassment.
While Pasha works on rebuilding her life and finding herself, her situation takes ahold of Callum and he just can't stop thinking about her. After a few chance encounters, the two agree to be friends and grow in love together.
With this very passionate and thoughtful love story, Kimberly Brown weaves a tale of strength and perseverance that is empowering and inspiring for romance readers.
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Note: There is not exactly an adult/minor relationship in Courage to Love Again, but there is a serious age gap with a male character who uses that age gap to take advantage of the FMC.
We meet Pasha, an unhappily married stay-at-home-wife struggling to overcome mental health trials after experiencing multiple losses, on the same day that her husband, Raymond, decides to request a divorce, put her out of their home, and move on with his new pregnant mistress. Brown pulls you in right away with the drama and gives you all the feels. Forced out of her home, Pasha uses a ride-sharing app to call for a car. The driver, who just so happens to be the wealthy owner Callum, becomes her 'Knight In Shining Armor,' saving her from the mean words of her husband and further embarrassment.
While Pasha works on rebuilding her life and finding herself, her situation takes ahold of Callum and he just can't stop thinking about her. After a few chance encounters, the two agree to be friends and grow in love together.
With this very passionate and thoughtful love story, Kimberly Brown weaves a tale of strength and perseverance that is empowering and inspiring for romance readers.
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Note: There is not exactly an adult/minor relationship in Courage to Love Again, but there is a serious age gap with a male character who uses that age gap to take advantage of the FMC.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Fatphobia, Infertility, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
Minor: Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Medical content, and Car accident
Out of Office by A.H. Cunningham
*sigh* Just beautiful.
Add Out of Office to your TBR -- it's a must-read for the summer. Though I enjoyed it on my balcony every evening after work for about a week, I think it's best read on the beach.
Note: There is some mention of homophobia and biphobia in the book, however, the characters do not directly experience it in Out of Office.
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
A. H. Cunningham has quickly become one of my favorite writers and with Out of Office she reminds me why. Cunningham has the ability to write them most diverse and eclectic characters with tremendous care and Out of Office features characters that fit the bill.
In Out of Office we meet overworked but determined Genevieve who's climbing the corporate ladder to realize her dreams...or her mother's dreams. In this quest for "success," Genevieve meets Adrian, a reformed workaholic, who manages to capture her heart and challenge her relationship with her career, her mother, and herself.
Cunningham writes the most tender and beautiful love story between Genevieve and Adrian that defies time, distance, and logic.
I found myself immediately falling in love with Adrian and his family. But more than that, I love the way he helped Genevieve identify her true desires from her whole life...isn't that what a relationship is supposed to be about? Thank you to A. H. Cunningham for always revealing to readers what they should aspire to have in every interpersonal journey with her writing.
I annotated quite a bit in Out of Office, but one of my favorite quotes, I have to share below:
In Out of Office we meet overworked but determined Genevieve who's climbing the corporate ladder to realize her dreams...or her mother's dreams. In this quest for "success," Genevieve meets Adrian, a reformed workaholic, who manages to capture her heart and challenge her relationship with her career, her mother, and herself.
Cunningham writes the most tender and beautiful love story between Genevieve and Adrian that defies time, distance, and logic.
I found myself immediately falling in love with Adrian and his family. But more than that, I love the way he helped Genevieve identify her true desires from her whole life...isn't that what a relationship is supposed to be about? Thank you to A. H. Cunningham for always revealing to readers what they should aspire to have in every interpersonal journey with her writing.
I annotated quite a bit in Out of Office, but one of my favorite quotes, I have to share below:
Whatever lay between us, we navigated it better when our skins touched, and we chatted about any topic.
*sigh* Just beautiful.
Add Out of Office to your TBR -- it's a must-read for the summer. Though I enjoyed it on my balcony every evening after work for about a week, I think it's best read on the beach.
Note: There is some mention of homophobia and biphobia in the book, however, the characters do not directly experience it in Out of Office.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing and Abandonment
Minor: Emotional abuse, Grief, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, and Classism
Jump Ball by Kasha Thompson
Though this is the advice that Sariah reflects on her first day at the Las Vegas Ramblers executive offices, it sets the tone for the entire story. We find two people trying their hardest leaning on one another and working together to create a happy life on their own terms. Along the way, we get an attempted corporate takeover, a sibling reconciliation, and a spicy HFN.
This is my fifth 5 star review for Kasha Thompson's books. I cannot say enough about how good her writing and storytelling is. You're in for an entertaining story with lovable characters every single time.
Spice: 🥵🥵🥵🥵
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Out of nowhere Kasha Thompson has become one of my favorite authors. Her Las Vegas Rambler series started off strong with the complicated characters Sloan and Deck in Defensive Stance, which I thoroughly enjoyed. But there's something about Justus and Sariah that makes them even better!
In Jump Ball we meet troubled boss babe Sariah Thornton working through familial drama after her estranged father dies and leaves her a substantial part of his wealth and Justus Chappel, basketball player turned NBA coach eager focused on two things: a championship and his twin daughters.
In Jump Ball we meet troubled boss babe Sariah Thornton working through familial drama after her estranged father dies and leaves her a substantial part of his wealth and Justus Chappel, basketball player turned NBA coach eager focused on two things: a championship and his twin daughters.
Jelly Bean, create the life you want and you'll never be unhappy a day in your life.
Though this is the advice that Sariah reflects on her first day at the Las Vegas Ramblers executive offices, it sets the tone for the entire story. We find two people trying their hardest leaning on one another and working together to create a happy life on their own terms. Along the way, we get an attempted corporate takeover, a sibling reconciliation, and a spicy HFN.
This is my fifth 5 star review for Kasha Thompson's books. I cannot say enough about how good her writing and storytelling is. You're in for an entertaining story with lovable characters every single time.
Spice: 🥵🥵🥵🥵
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Grief and Abandonment
Minor: Child death and Death of parent
Accidental Arrangements by Alexandra Warren
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I didn’t really like Accidental Arrangements because the story was far too long and drawn out for no reason, the characters were stereotypical, and the characters weren’t likable at all. The FMC, Jules, was manic with her mood swings and it made her challenging to root for. Because I didn’t like her, I didn’t want her to win and it made me want to bail on this story multiple times. There was also a lot of internal dialogue that I found myself skimming.
The real story is the MMC, Levi’s sister Lily and Levi’s agent Damien. But we didn’t get that story.
The real story is the MMC, Levi’s sister Lily and Levi’s agent Damien. But we didn’t get that story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcohol
The Perfection of a Moment by Kimberly Brown
This quote sums up the vibe of The Perfection of a Moment by Kimberly Brown. As usual there is positive representation of the African Diaspora, her characters are always empowered, educated, family oriented, and community-driven. In some of the Jareau Family books, Brown deals with very heavy subject matter and she has even written what I would consider dark romances. So, if you've read her books before and that's what you're used to from her, The Perfection of a Moment is the exacttt opposite. There is no drama, no fighting, no difficult subject matter - it's just a beautiful love story and I really enjoyed it. The story of Ximena and Hiram is one that I am certain I will remember.
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Ximena has my full and undivided attention. I'm not perfect, but she'll always get the best parts of me.
This quote sums up the vibe of The Perfection of a Moment by Kimberly Brown. As usual there is positive representation of the African Diaspora, her characters are always empowered, educated, family oriented, and community-driven. In some of the Jareau Family books, Brown deals with very heavy subject matter and she has even written what I would consider dark romances. So, if you've read her books before and that's what you're used to from her, The Perfection of a Moment is the exacttt opposite. There is no drama, no fighting, no difficult subject matter - it's just a beautiful love story and I really enjoyed it. The story of Ximena and Hiram is one that I am certain I will remember.
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing and Sexual content
I Could Fall in Love by Kimberly Brown
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I enjoyed Kimberly Brown's I Could Fall In Love.
In I Could Fall In Love, we meet Lavish Chamberlin celebrating her divorce in New Orleans, LA. Lavish, who grew up in foster care, is celebrating her freedom after an abusive marriage to the world's worst husband when she meets a billionaire's playboy son, Mitchell Keonig. Mitchell's life is mostly meaningless - he runs businesses he isn't too passionate about and is just looking for his next hookup. Mitchell is in New Orleans partying away his own troubles - his sick father, Xavier, has threatened to write him out of his will if Mitchell doesn't get married. Something in Lavish calls out to Mitchell and he is immediately drawn to her. After getting to know one another, they realize they both could benefit from a marriage of convenience with a little forced proximity.
So begins the whirlwind romance with ups and downs and challenges only two people attracted to one another yet bound by a contract could endure.
The characters are well developed and the story, though relatively short, is full of engaging twists, some totally unexpected. Kimberly Brown takes you on a fun and emotional ride that wraps up so nicely. One of my favorite things about Kimberly Brown's books is that she does a good job at writing complex characters and she tells sensitive stories with so much care.
I highly recommend I Could Fall In Love.
In I Could Fall In Love, we meet Lavish Chamberlin celebrating her divorce in New Orleans, LA. Lavish, who grew up in foster care, is celebrating her freedom after an abusive marriage to the world's worst husband when she meets a billionaire's playboy son, Mitchell Keonig. Mitchell's life is mostly meaningless - he runs businesses he isn't too passionate about and is just looking for his next hookup. Mitchell is in New Orleans partying away his own troubles - his sick father, Xavier, has threatened to write him out of his will if Mitchell doesn't get married. Something in Lavish calls out to Mitchell and he is immediately drawn to her. After getting to know one another, they realize they both could benefit from a marriage of convenience with a little forced proximity.
So begins the whirlwind romance with ups and downs and challenges only two people attracted to one another yet bound by a contract could endure.
The characters are well developed and the story, though relatively short, is full of engaging twists, some totally unexpected. Kimberly Brown takes you on a fun and emotional ride that wraps up so nicely. One of my favorite things about Kimberly Brown's books is that she does a good job at writing complex characters and she tells sensitive stories with so much care.
I highly recommend I Could Fall In Love.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, and Alcohol
Moderate: Body shaming, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Minor: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Misogyny, Rape, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Love Me As I Am: A Billionaire/BBW Love Story by Robin
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Love Me As I Am by Robin could be a lot better than it actually is. When you get beyond the continuity errors and weird misogyny, from a female writer no less, there's an interesting story there. However, I just don't feel that the author put much into the book.
We meet Lonii, a BBW who's used to men loving her in private but being ashamed of her in public. Lonii doesn't care though, after she gets her heart broken for the last time, Lonii decides to focus on herself and level up. When she gets the opportunity to work as a full-time live-in nanny for the rich and attractive Chief Prince, get a six-figure salary, and move into his palace outside of the city, Lonii takes it - no questions asked. But her decision makes an frenemy out of her closest cousin, Khema, and best friend Nina. As she becomes engrossed in her job, falling in love with the Prince children and getting closer to their billionaire father, Chief, Lonii gets more than just her dream job...she gets a new lease on life.
There were a few twists thrown into the story but I'm not confident that they really added anything aside from making the characters stereotypes. I understand that this is urban romance, but that doesn't mean the characters have to be underdeveloped or stereotypical without any real resolution.
All in all, Love Me As I Am is a quick read that I'd recommend to anyone who really loves urban lit.
Spice: 🥵🥵
We meet Lonii, a BBW who's used to men loving her in private but being ashamed of her in public. Lonii doesn't care though, after she gets her heart broken for the last time, Lonii decides to focus on herself and level up. When she gets the opportunity to work as a full-time live-in nanny for the rich and attractive Chief Prince, get a six-figure salary, and move into his palace outside of the city, Lonii takes it - no questions asked. But her decision makes an frenemy out of her closest cousin, Khema, and best friend Nina. As she becomes engrossed in her job, falling in love with the Prince children and getting closer to their billionaire father, Chief, Lonii gets more than just her dream job...she gets a new lease on life.
There were a few twists thrown into the story but I'm not confident that they really added anything aside from making the characters stereotypes. I understand that this is urban romance, but that doesn't mean the characters have to be underdeveloped or stereotypical without any real resolution.
All in all, Love Me As I Am is a quick read that I'd recommend to anyone who really loves urban lit.
Spice: 🥵🥵
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Gun violence, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism
Holding Back the Years by Kasha Thompson
challenging
funny
hopeful
inspiring
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Holding Back the Years starts off kinda slow for me but as a new fan of Kasha Thompson’s books, Figure of Speech and Sight Unseen are amazing, I decided to stick with it believing that it would pick up.
I didn’t know where the story of Seraphina and August would take me as a reader but in the end I was pleasantly surprised by the characters, their development, and the story in general.
While I wasn’t sold on the chemistry between Seraphina and August, the secondary story connecting the two was really interesting and kept me hooked.
I recommend Holding Back the Years for anyone looking for a good read with some funny moments.
Spice: 🥵🥵
I didn’t know where the story of Seraphina and August would take me as a reader but in the end I was pleasantly surprised by the characters, their development, and the story in general.
While I wasn’t sold on the chemistry between Seraphina and August, the secondary story connecting the two was really interesting and kept me hooked.
I recommend Holding Back the Years for anyone looking for a good read with some funny moments.
Spice: 🥵🥵
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing and Sexual content
Moderate: Infidelity, Terminal illness, and Dementia
Minor: Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, and War
Love's Neutral Zone by Love Belvin
Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.
Boring and I hate the writing.
This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
In This Could Be Us (TCBU), book 2 of Kennedy Ryan’s “Skyland Series,” we meet Soledad Barnes, super mom from Before I Let Go (BILG) book 1 of the series.
In TCBU, Soledad goes through a phenomenal change to become a true powerhouse.
Where BILG, is about trusting a past version of yourself to prepare you for your future, TCBU is about creating a new version of yourself to move beyond past versions of yourself and trusting that new version to carry you into your future.
At the heart of it all, TCBU has two great love stories: the FMC’s love of herself and the blossoming relationship between the FMC and MMC.
Diverse and beautifully written, This Could Be Us is hopeful and inspiring and challenging. Kennedy Ryan has done it again.
In TCBU, Soledad goes through a phenomenal change to become a true powerhouse.
Where BILG, is about trusting a past version of yourself to prepare you for your future, TCBU is about creating a new version of yourself to move beyond past versions of yourself and trusting that new version to carry you into your future.
At the heart of it all, TCBU has two great love stories: the FMC’s love of herself and the blossoming relationship between the FMC and MMC.
Diverse and beautifully written, This Could Be Us is hopeful and inspiring and challenging. Kennedy Ryan has done it again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment
Minor: Cancer, Confinement, Infidelity, Racism, Terminal illness, Medical content, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail